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The last year of 2021, as well as the preceding 2020, were dominated by the Coronavirus Pandemic, and its’ consequences felt worldwide.
The operations of OFAP, being an international organization participating in the relevant major international meetings. namely within the United Nations, were affected, as expected. The replacement of physical presence by teleconferencing, subject to GMT Time differences, was, indeed, a challenge for productivity, in as much as personal contacts are essential in developing relationships, instrumental for a better undertaking programs and objectives.
In this, it is appropriate to recognize the invaluable contributions of our friends, around the world, in forwarding our trusts and emphasis -- namely those residing in Vienna, who kept a personal presence of OFAP within the UNODC. In this, we must mention, among others, the Alliance of NGOs for Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (Alliance), of which OFAP is a founding member, two years ago.
The Alliance was conceded a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). In the latest statutory elections, OFAP’s Official Representative at the Alliance, was re-elected Chair of its Board, with a very encouraging consensus.
It is a body that fits well with OFAP’s concerns on citizenship and New Generations, as we note that, for instance, corruption has a detrimental effect on the trust on leaders of society, and ecological crimes are a fundamental factor in climate change which threatens us all.
Locally, an important development was that, taking advantage of the reduction of expenditure - especially from travel costs – we accomplished the repair, refurbishment and re-equipment of our headquarters, in Macau.
Updated teleconferencing premises and facilities are now available, as well as improved offices for administration, thus allowing a program of internships and/or short-term training, as well as introductory access to UN events, as resolved in our latest General Assembly.
Notwithstanding the hope that the Coronavirus crisis be soon resolved, we are now better prepared to face and resolve the present constraints, and proceed in our successful course.
We trust that this report, albeit focusing, by necessity, in selected international major events, may prove informative and of interest.
For all this, OFAP extends due appreciation to all our members, individual and corporate, who rendered their full support, always without fail; and, last, but not the least, to the authorities of Macau S.A.R., China, for all continuing support, granted to this organization, with the satus of public utility.
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